Calender or like device



Dec. 27, 1960 Filed Jan. 9, 1958 w. c. WHlTTUM 2,965,920

CALENDER OR LIKE DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 MMQWW ATTORNEYS Dec. 27, 1960 I w. c. WHlTTUM 2,965,920

CALENDER OR LIKE DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1958 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENT OR ATTORNEY5 Dec. 27, 1960 w, c. WHITTUM 2,965,920

CALENDER OR LIKE DEVICE Filed Jan. 9, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 /4 mgg gggggazozow #43 8 INVENT OR Wm 3 m 7M ATTORNEY5 Dec. 27,1960. w. c. WHITTUM 7 2,965,920

CALENDER OR LIKE DEV ICE v Filed Jan. .9, 1958 J v 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 V 18) I3 Y I r H s l United States Patent CALENDER OR LIKE DEVICE Warren C. Whittum, Orange, Conn., assignor to Farrel- Birmingham Company, Incorporated, Ansonia, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Jan. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 708,004

7 Claims. (Cl. 18-2) This invention relates to calenders or like devices and more particularly to a roll-crown-compensating means for such mechanisms.

In machines such as calenders for rolling relatively thin sheets it has been customary to crown the cooperating rolls in order to compensate for the bending of the rolls intermediate their ends under the considerable pressure exerted upon these rolls during operation. The amount of crown given to the rolls is that which will presumably bring about a substantially parallel arrangement of the cooperating roll surfaces during their operation. It will be apparent, therefore, that the amount of crown with which the rolls will be provided will depend upon the pressure under which they are operated and other conditions. Therefore, for optimum results it would ordinarily be necessary to provide rolls with different crowns under different operating conditions.

It has been found, however, that the effective crown of the rolls may be varied or regulated to some extent by crossing the roll axes so that when idle the rolls would be somewhat more widely spaced at their ends than at their intermediate portions. The present invention relates particularly to a calender or like machine wherein at least one of two cooperating rolls is moved about a point intermediate the roll ends so as to bring about a non-parallel relation of the roll axes or to effect what is commonly termed a cross-axis relationship.

In the past where means have been provided for crossing the axes of the rolls, this means has been provided exterior to the roll journals and usually consisted of an eccentric sleeve bearing surrounding the roll journal, which hearing was rotated to effect lateral movement of one end of the roll in a direction opposite to that of the movement of the other end. The present invention contemplates the provision of new and improved means for effecting this result and particularly means contained within the main roll bearings rather than means built into the calender frame as has been the case in the past. It will be seen that with such an arrangement it will be particularly feasible to convert existing installations as well as applying the invention to newly constructed calenders or mills.

While the invention as illustrated is applied to one of a pair of cooperating rolls, it will be understood that it may be employed in calendars or other rolling mills having more than two rolls wherein it is desired to efiect a cross-axis relationship between any two cooperating rolls. The invention, of course, may be applied to such calenders as those employed with rubber and plastic material and also to rolls for rolling metal, processing paper and other uses.

One object of the present invention is to provide new and improved mechanism for producing a variable crown efiect between two cooperating rolls of a calender or like device.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for compensating the roll crown of the cooperating rolls of a calender or like machine by moving one'of the rolls about a point intermediate its length relatively to the cooperating roll to effect a crossaxis relationship between the two.

Still another object of the invention is to provide new and improved means for crossing the axes of two cooperating rolls of a calender or like machine, which means is contained within the main roll bearings but actuated by means without the bearings whereby the construction may readily be applied to a newly manufactured calender as well as to an existing machine.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial end elevational view showing the two lower rolls of a calender embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the bearings of one of the rolls on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3;

'Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6--6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the operating connections between the means for adjusting the roll bearings;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing a somewhat modified form of my invention; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view showing the hydraulic mechanism for use in connection with the form of my invention shown in Fig. 9. I

To illustrate one embodiment of the invention there is shown in the drawings a calender or like rolling mill comprising end stands 10 and 11. Each of these stands is provided with a window 12. within which hearings or journals for the rolls may be slidably mounted as will be hereinafter explained.

Supported between the end stands 10 and 11 are the operating rolls 13 and 14. Each of these rolls is provided with roll necks as indicated at 15 and 16 which extend into the end stands, these necks being rotatably mounted in main bearing members 17 and 18 (Fig. 1). As shown the lower main bearing member 18 is slidably mounted in the window 12 and the bearing 17 may be similarly mounted if desired. It will be understood that similar bearing members are mounted in the same manher in the end frame at the opposite side of the machine.

As shown more especially in Fig. 3, these main bearings of the lower roll 14 are adjustable in a vertical direction, and they are also so arranged that the ends of the roll may be moved horizontally in opposite directions to change the position of the roll axis. As illustrated in this figure, the main bearing comprises an enclosing casting 19 slidably mounted in the window 12. In the lower portion of this casting is a Wear plate 20 engaged by the upper end of an adjusting screw 21, this screw carrying at its lower end a worm wheel 22 (Fig. 2) which may be actuated by the worm 23 carried by the shaft 24 so that the lower roll may be adjusted as desired toward the upper roll and the proper pressure applied thereto. It is, of course, understood that this same construction is provided at both ends of the lower roll 14.

The mechanism for adjusting the bearings of the roll horizontally or for crossing the roll axes is the same at both ends of the roll 14 and description of one thereof will suffice for both. As shown in Fig. 3, a main journal hearing 26 is mounted for horizontal sliding movement in the enclosing casting 19. To this end wear plates 27 and 28 are provided in the casting and main bearing respectively between which are ball bearings 29 so that the roll will rest upon these roller bearings and friction attendant uponmovement of. the bearing 26 will ,be mini- Patented Dec. 21, 1960 mized. This bearing structure receives the thrust of the pressure upon the roll as the load is directed substantially at right angles thereto. As shown, the roll neck 15 is mounted within the main journal bearing 26.

border to move'the journal bearings 26* within the enclosing bearing casting 19 a pair of worm wheels 30 and 31 are rota-tably mounted in seats 36* and 31 in the latter member. These worm wheels are internally threaded, as shown at 32 and 33, which threads engage the threaded periphery of blocks 34 and 35, the inner faces of which are of cylindrical form as shown at 36 and 37. These cylindrical faces engage correspondingly shaped faces 38 and 39 provided upon projections 40 and 41 at each side of the journal bearing 26. The blocks or nuts 34 and 35 fit closely against the surfaces 38 and 39 so that the bearing 26 will be held firmly in place.

With the above construction, shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, it will be obvious that when the internally threaded worm wheels 30 and 31 are rotated in opposite directions the bearing member 26 will be moved either to the right or left, thus moving the roll neck at that end of the roll and, as the construction is the same at the other end, it may be moved a similar amount in the opposite direction, thus producing a cross-axis relationship between this roll and the cooperating roll 13. This movement is facilitated by the roll bearings 29 upon which the journal bearing 26 rests.

Means are provided for rotating the worm wheels 30 and 31 in opposite directions and also for rotating the worm wheels at the other end of the roll in opposite directions so as to effect this result. This means comprises worms 43 and 44-carried by shafts 45 and 46 (Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 8-) rotatably'mounted in the enclosing casting 19 at one end of the roll 14. These worms are engaged with the worm wheels 39 and 31 respectively as shown in Fig. 3. The shaft 45 is extended, as shown in Fig. 8, so that it may be driven from a motor 47 through a flexible coupling 48. The worm shafts 45 and 46 are connected by means of a cross shaft 49 and bevel gearing t) and 51.

Worms 43 and 44* are similarly provided in the bearing at the other end of the roll, which worms are connected by the cros shaft 49 A shaft 52 extends across the machine from one end frame to the other in a direction parallel with the rolls and is connected to the shaft 45 by a flexible coupling 54 and to the shaft of the worm 43 by a flexible coupling 55. With this arrangement all four of the worms are driven from the motor 47. It will be apparent that the worm 43 is driven in a direction opposite to that of the worm 44, and the same relationship exists between the worm 43 and 44 Also it may be noted that the internal threads 32 of the worm wheel 30 are left-hand threads while the internal threads 33 of the worm wheel on the opposite side of the bearing are right-hand threads, and similarlv at the other end of the roll the worm wheel at one side will be provided with ri ht-hand threads and at the other side with lefthand threads.

When it is desired to shift the axis of the roll 14 the motor 47 is started in the proper direction (the motor being a reversible one) and upon rotation of the worms 43, 4-4. 43 and 44 the worm wheels 30 and 31 will each be rotated in the proper direction to shift the bearings 26 in one direction at one end of the roll and in the opposite direction at the other end of the roll, these bearinns bein moved upon the rollers 29. The movement at one end of the roll being oppos te and equal to that at the other end. will result in the shifting of the roll about a po nt adjacent the center thereof, as shown by dot-anddash lines in Fig. 8. This will result in a cross-axis relationship between the roll 14 and the cooperating roll 13. Moreover, the shifting mechanism is mounted entirely within the main enclosing casting 19 and the parts may be readily substituted for the corresponding parts of a calender or mill already in use.

6 While I have. shown worm wheels and cooperating nuts at each side of the roll journal in Figs. 1 to 8 of the drawings, a modified form ofmy invention is shown in Figs. 9 and 10 wherein one worm wheel only is provided and the movement of the journal hearing by this wheel is opposed by hydraulic mechanism.

Referring particularly to Fig. 9, it will be seen that at the left-hand side of the journal bearing 26 there is provided the worm wheel 31, the nut 35 and worm 43, all as previously described. At the right-hand side of the bearing 26, however, a block 35 is provided which constitutes a piston within a cylinder 58 fixed in the enclosing casting 19 in a position similar to that of the worm wheel 31. It will be understood thatthe piston member 35 presents a cylindrical face toward the hearing 26 as is the case with the nut 35. Fluid pressure may be introduced into the cylinder 58 behind the piston 35 by means of a pipe 59 which, as shown in the diagrammatic view of Fig. 10, leads to a pump 69 driven by a motor 61. The accumulator 62 maintains the desired pressure within the line 59.

It will be understood that the same arrangement shown in Fig. 9 will be provided at the other side of the roll and that, when the worm 43 is rotated, the worm wheel 31 will also be rotated, thus moving the block or nut 35 laterally or inn-horizontal direction. When this block is moved to the right, as shown in Pig. 9, the roll neck will be moved in this direction, shifting this end-ofthe roll to the right and moving the piston 35 toward the closed end of the cylinder 53 against the pressure existing in the latter. At the same time the journal at the other end of the roll will be moved in the opposite direction by the same amount.

When the worm 43 is rotated in the opposite direction, the block or nut 35 will be backed off toward the left away from the main journal bearing 26, and the latter will be caused to follow this block by means of the pressure existing within the cylinder 58.

It will also be apparent that the main bearing journal 26 may be actuated or moved in opposite directions by fluid pressure at both sides thereof, if desired, instead of employing worm wheels, as shown in Figs. 1 to 8, or instead of employing one worm wheel with an opposing hydraulic mechanism, as shown in Fig. 9.

In some instances gears are provided upon the cooperating rolls so that one may be driven from the other, as shown in Fig. 2, where the gear 65 on the roll 13 is in mesh with a gear 66 on roll 14. It will be understood that thegear 65 is fixed to its roll while, in order to permit proper driving of the roll 14 even when its axis is oblique with respect to that of the roll 13, the gear 66 is mounted. on the roll 14, as shown in Fig. 7.

Secured to the neck 67 of the roll 14 by a key 68 is a sleeve member or collar 69 provided adjacent its central portion with a series of rounded gear teeth 70. These teeth are in engagement with internal rounded teeth 71 formed upon the gear 66. Thus the gear upon the roll 14 is made in two parts, the outer one having both external and internal teeth, while the inner part is secured to the roll neck 67 and provided with external teeth. Thus a swivel connection is provided between the gear 66 and the roll which will permit some angularity between the axes of these two members but at the same time maintaining the teeth of the gear 66 in proper registration with those of the gear 65 upon the roll 13.

The sleeve 69 is provided with an external shoulder 72 while the gear 66 is provided with an internal shoulder 73, thus limiting relative movement between these two parts in one direction while movement in the opposite direction is limitcd by the flange plate 74 secured to the gear 66.

While I have shown and described some embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members being mounted for movement relatively to the casings in a direction substantially transverse to the plane of the roll axes, and means mounted within said hearing casings and engaging said journal members for moving the latter relatively to the casings in said direction.

2. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members being mounted for movement relatively to the casings laterally with respect to the axis of the other roll, means within said casings for efiecting lateral movement of said journal members, the journal member at one end of the roll being moved in a direction opposite to that of the journal member at the other end of the roll.

3. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members being mounted for movement relatively to the casings in a direction substantially transverse to the plane of the roll axes, means mounted within said bearing casings and engaging said journal members for moving the latter relatively to the casings in said direction, said means comprising block members movably mounted in each of said bearing casings between the casing and a part of the journal member and engaging the latter, and means for moving said block members.

4. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members being mounted for movement relatively to the casings in a direction substantially transverse to the plane of the roll axes, means mounted within said bearing casings and engaging said journal members for moving the latter relatively to the casings in said direction, said means comprising an actuating member rotatably mounted in each of the bearing casings, a block member engaging each of the journal members and engaged with said actuating member to be moved toward the associated journal member by rotation of the actuating member.

5. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members.

being mounted for movement relatively to the casings in a direction substantially transverse to the plane of the roll axes, means mounted within said bearing casings and engaging said journal members for moving the latter relatively to the casings in said direction, said last-named means comprising a worm wheel rotatably mounted in each of the bearing casings, a member bearing against each of the journal members and advanced theretoward by rotation of said worm wheel, and means mounted on the casin g for rotating said worm wheel.

6. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members being mounted for movement relatively to the casings in a direction substantially transverse to the plane of the roll axes, means mounted within said bearing casings and engaging said journal members for moving the latter relatively to the casings in said direction, said last-named means comprising a worm wheel rotatably mounted in each of the bearing casings, a member bearing against each of the journal members and advanced theretoward by rotation of said worm wheel, means mounted on the casing for rotating said worm wheel, said worm wheel being internally threaded, said last-named member being threadedly engaged with the interior threads of the worm Wheel to be moved by rotation of the latter, and a motor supported by one of the bearing casings for rotating the worm wheel.

7. Means for crossing the axes of the rolls of a calender or like device having spaced end stands with bearing openings therein, a pair of cooperating rolls having their neck portions rotatably mounted in the openings of the end stand on substantially parallel axes, said means comprising bearing casings mounted in said end stands for the roll necks for at least one of said rolls, a journal member mounted in each casing in which the roll necks are rotatably received, each of said journal members being mounted for movement relatively to the casings in a direction substantially transverse to the plane of the roll axes, means mounted within said bearing casings and engaging said journal members for moving the latter relatively to the casings in said direction, said means comprising a cylinder within each of the bearing casings and a piston movable within the cylinder and operatively engaged with the associated journal member to move the latter, and means for introducing pressure fluid into said cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 901,251 Mcllvried Oct. 13, 1908 1,004,500 Taylor Sept. 26, 1911 2,303,813 Barcus Dec. 1, 1942 2,525,744 Willshaw Oct. 10, 1950 2,678,465 Schnuck et al. May 18, 1954 

